Flashlight



Feb. 2, 1943. v .Q T WOOD l FLASHLIGHT Filed Feb. 16, 1940 FIGA. 15 HG2 z3 l 36' .941 9.? Z9

6'5 75`\ 9517 67 f7,/, f3 8 1/ .Y 619 31'/ l y INVENTOR. O/PV/LLE 72 WOD ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 2, 1943 FLASHLIGHT Orville T. Wood, Clinton, Mass., assignor to Blake Manufacturing Corporation, Clinton, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application February 16, 1940, Serial No. 319,208

6 Claims. (Cl. Z110-10.66)

This invention relates to electric flashlights and hand lanterns of the kind in which a removable battery of dry cells is connected and disconnected at will to an incandescent lamp 9, which, in the illustrated embodiment, is what may be considered the bottom end of the flashlight and at its opposite or upper end increases progressively in diameter, as at II, to la cylinfrom which the light is reflected in a given didrical threaded portion I3. rection. The threaded upper end I3 supports the rim More particularly the invention relates to a or lip I5 of the reflector I'I, there being insulacircuit closer for such flashlights. tion I9 surrounding the lip I5 whereby the re- The primary object of the present invention is flector is insulated from the conductive casing to provide a circuit closer which may be readily l0 II. Resting 0n the insulation I9 is a lens 2| 0f disassembled from a flashlight so that broken any desired characteristic. Lens 2l is held in parts may be replaced and the circuit closer re- DOsitiOn 0n the threaded end I3 Of the easing by assembled into the flashlight. a lens ring 23 screwed on to the threaded end I3. Another object of the invention is a flashlight The reflector is illustrated as of the type shown switch which readily adapts itself to assembly in ccpending application Serial Number 180,949 and disassembly with respect to the flashlight filed December 21, 1937, and nOW Patent N0 without the use of tools. 2,274,178 dated Feb. 24, 1942, wherein the lamp Still another object of the invention is a flashis supported within the reflector by a cup-shaped light circuit closer characterized by few parts enclosure 25 which terminates in a contact 21 and whereof the component parts are simple of adapted t0 make electrical C0nneCti0n With the construction and easily replaced. central terminal 29 of the battery 3I, the battery The invention also seeks a flashlight to which 3| being held against the Contact 27 by a battery the circuit closer of this invention may be readily positioning spring 33 in the bOttOm Galy 35- Cap adapted. 35 is removably secured on the threaded end of Yet another object of the invention is a circuit the Casing. The circuit is completed from the closer particularly adapted to a sc-called insubattery positioning spring 33 through the Casing lated flashlight. 'I and contact strip 8I of the circuit closer of These and other objects of the invention and this invention. The reflector I'I contacts with the means for their attainment will be more and conducts electric current to that lamp terapparent from the following detailed description, minal WhiCh is nOt eleCtlCally Connected t0 the taken in connection with the accompanying battery terminal 29. drawing illustrating one embodiment by which The flashlight of this invention is completely the invention may be realized, and in which: covered by insulating material In the illus- Figure 1 is a view, in side elevation, showing trated embodiment, the casing 'I is enclosed by a nashiignt to which the present invention has a cylindrical outer lcasing member 39 of dielecbeen applied, parts being removed to show detric material, such as fiber. As shown, the lower tails of construction; end of this fiber covering 39 terminates at a Figure 2 is a view in plan, looking from below, point which permits the bOttOm Cap 35 to be and showing the thumb piece or slide of the cirscrewed on the lower end of the casing. The cuit closer; 40 bottom cap is illustrated as covered by a remov- Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view of the able insulating cap 4I, preferably of rubber, havcircuit closer taken in the plane indicated by the ing a flexible lip 43 adapted to overlie the lower line 3-3 in Figure 2, looking in the direction of end of the fiber casing 39. the arrows, and with the contact strip removed The upper end portion of the flashlight is enfrom the slide; land 45 closed within a member of insulating material,

Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the cirpreferably rubber, consisting of a cylindrical porcuit closing contact strip of this invention. tion 45 having the inturned lip 4'I which overlies Referring first to Figure 1, the flashlight to the lens ring 23 and a constricted somewhat which the present invention is illustrated as apthinner and more flexible rubber portion 49 plied is a so-called insulated flashlight whereof 50 which terminates in a flexible annular lip 5I no metal parts are exposed so that the flashlight may be handled and set down among electrical equipment without danger of short circuit. As shown, the flashlight casing comprises a metallic cylindrical shell 1 threaded at its one end, as at which overlies the upper end of the ber housing 39 so that, by means of these three elements 39, 4I and 45-5I of insulating material, all the metallic parts of the flashlight are completely enclosed or covered by dielectric material.

The circuit closer of this invention is particularly applicable to a flashlight of the character just described although by no means confined in its use thereto. An opening 53, preferably rectangular, is formed in the dielectric outer casing 39. This opening is preferably of its longest dimension in the longitudinal direction of the casing. The metallic inner casing is formed with an opening 55 substantially registering with the opening 53 and having an outwardly deflected tongue or lip 51 integral therewith which extends upwardly and forwardly in the opening 53 to serve as a stop for the circuit closer in this retracted position. This lip 51 is an edge or surface angularly related to the contact strip 8|. The rear end of the slot 55 in the brass case 1 is deflected upwardly for two purposes. The first purpose is to help retain the fiber tube and the brass tube piercings 53 and 55 in register. The second purpose is to provide a sloping surface against which the rearmost end of the contact strip will cam or slide when the strip is inserted into the slide.

Slidable on the outer surface of the dielectric casing 39 is the slide or thumb piece 6| which may conveniently be rectangular, as shown in Figure 2, and of transverse and longitudinal dimensions to materially overlie the surface of the casing 39 on all sides of the opening 53. The surface of the slide 6| proximate the dielectric casing 39 is formed of a curvature whose radius is substantially that of the radius of the outer surface of the dielectric casing 39 as shown at 63 in Figure 3.

The upper surface or exposed surface of the slide 6| may be of any convenient configuration to permit engagement by the thumb, say, of the hand holding the flashlight, to permit the manipulation of the circuit closer. Thus, in the illustrated embodiment, forwardly of the midpoint of the slide 6 I, the slide is formed with an elevated portion 65 and is then of progressively changing thickness, as at 61, to a rear point which is of increased thickness, as at 69, but of lesser thickness than the portion indicated at 65 and is corrugated or otherwise roughened, as at 1|, to provide a surface which will conveniently receive the thumb of the manipulator without danger of slipping.

At a thicker portion of the slide and on the axis thereof, the lower surface 63 is formed with a rectangular recess 13 which receives a sleeve 15 of rectangular cross-section secured in position by means, say, of a screw 11. In order to permit access to the head of the screw 11, the outer face of the sleeve 15 is slotted, as at 19, and in register with the aperture through which the screw passes. The slot is of increased diameter sufiicient to permit the passage of the head of screw 11 as shown in Figure 2.

Carried with the slide 6| within the casing 1, 39 is a reciprocating Contact strip indicated generally at 8| and shown in perspective in Figure 4. At this forward end, the contact strip is deflected somewhat, as at 83, as a contact surface to engage and make electrical connection with, say, the reflector |1 of the flashlight. Intermediate its contact portion 83 and the slide, the contact member is formed with a longitudinal rib 85 for strength and to space slightly the contact member from the inner conductive casing 1.

That portion of the contact strip 8| proximate the slide 6| is offset, as at 81, and is formed with inwardly deflected tongues 89 and 9!) which are shown in Figure 4 as four in number, two along each edge of the strip and directed toward one another to form stops, it being observed that the spacing of the tongues 89 and 90 are such as to receive between them the side 18 of the sleeve 15 on the slide when the circuit closer is disposed in its normal position within the sleeve 15.

Rearwardly of the opening 55, the inner conductive casing 1 is formed with an inwardly offset portion or boss 59 of a dimension, in the circumferential direction of the inner casing 1, not greater than and conveniently less than the circumferential dimension of the opening 55. At its rear end, the circuit closer is provided with an outwardly directed boss or lug 9| which normally bears on the inner surface of the conductive casing 1 to retain the contact member 8| in spaced relation to the inner casing 1. Thus, the lug 9| and the offset B6 together with the rib 85, if present, serve to hold the sliding contact 8| against the inner side of the sleeve 15 so that it cannot work loose as the slide is manipulated. When the lug 9| is at the rearmost portion of the boss 59, it serves as a retaining latch for the open circuit position of the switch contact strip. When the switch contact strip is advanced to the closed circuit position, the lug'Sl will then drop off from the boss 59 against the foremost end of this boss so as to releasably retain the switch contact strip strip in closed circuit position.

To retain the slide against lateral movement and to form a guideway or channel for the contact 8| te move in, semi-circular bosses 93 are struck inwardly in the conductive casing 1 two on each side of the path of the slide 8| so that the opposed straight sides S4 of these bosses form, in effect, the walls of a groove within which the contact 8| reciprocates. These bosses also space the battery 3| from the Contact member 8|.

The structure just described permits the circuit closer to be readily disassembled. To remove the switch in the fllashlight illustrated, the flexible rubber hood 5| is first rolled back away from the lens ring 23 and the lens ring which carries the lens and reflector assembly is then unscrewed from the flashlight casing. Obviously, if no insulatory material such as the hood 45, 49, 5| is present, it would merely suffice to remove the lens ring and withdraw the reflector and lamp socket to permit access to the interior of the casing. 'Ihe batteries, if present, would then be removed so as to permit the insertion of a finger.

For removal, the slide 6| is moved to circuit closed position, shown in Figure l. The finger is then inserted and pressure exerted against the inner surface of the offset portion 81 say, between the lug 9| and the adjacent pair of tongues 90. Pressure against the tensioned Contact strip at this point moves the offset portion as a whole inwardly within the sleeve 15 and releases engagement of the tongues 9G with respect to the wall 18 of the sleeve permitting the contact member 8| to be slid forwardly by the frictional engagement of the finger which exerts the pressure and removes the strip out the open end of the casing. The slide 6| is then free to be lifted off the casing, carrying with it the sleeve 15.

Assembly of the circuit closer is accomplished by a reversal of these steps. The slide is first placed in position with the sleeve entering the openings 53 and 55, the sleeve 15 being in the rearmost end of the openings, i. e., the end toward the bottom cap. The contact strip 8| is then inserted with the deflected end 83 directed toward the casing 1 and pushed through the sleeve 15 until the tongues 89 and 90 snap into place on opposite sides of the sleeve when the switch is assembled and ready for operation.

It will be recognized that while the circuit closer of this invention is particularly applicable to an insulated flashlight, that it is equally applicable in any situation where a circuit is to be closed by a sliding contact member and no limitation is intended by the phraseology of the foregoing description, or illustrations in the accompanying drawings, except as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a flashlight, circuit closing means capable of being dismantled without the use of tools comprising the combination with an open ended tubular casing formed with an opening intermediate its ends, a slide disposed wholly on the outer surface of the casing and movable over the opening, a tubular sleeve, rectangular in cross-section, disposed in the opening and comprising an outer side secured to the slide, side walls extending through the opening and an inner side within` the casing in radially spaced relation to the slide, a resilient contact strip within the sleeve and supported on the inner side of the sleeve and formed remote from one end of the sleeve with an outwardly offset portion in spaced relation to the sleeve and engaging the casing and also formed remote from the opposite end of the sleeve and spaced therefrom with an outwardly offset portion engaging the casing to thereby place the intermedi-ate inwardly offset portion of the strip under tension in spaced relation to the casing in position in the sleeve, means on the strip interengaging the inner side of the sleeve to hold the strip in position in the sleeve whereby said strip may be disengaged from the sleeve by a nger inserted through the open end of the casing and pressing the intermediate portion outwardly toward the casing and out of engagement with the sleeve.

2. Ina flashlight, circuit closing means capable of being dismantled without the use of tools comprising the combination with an open ended tubular casing formed with an opening intermediate its ends, a slide disposed wholly on the outer surface of the casing and movable over the opening, a tubular sleeve, rectangular in cross-section, disposed in the opening and comprising an outer side secured to the slide, side walls extending through the opening and an inner side within the casing in radially spaced relation to the slide, a resilient contact strip within the sleeve and supported on the inner side of the sleeve and formed remote from one end of the sleeve with an outwardly offset portion in spaced relation to the sleeve and engaging the casing and also formed remote from the opposite end of the sleeve and spaced therefrom with an outwardly offset portion engaging the casing to thereby place the intermediate inwardly offset portion of the strip under tension, said strip being formed with inwardly directed opposed abutment means engaging opposite ends of the inner side of the sleeve to position the strip in the sleeve in spaced relation to the casing whereby said strip may be disengaged from the sleeve by a finger inserted through the open end of the casing and pressing the intermediate portion outwardly toward the casing and out of engagement with the sleeve.

3. In a flashlight, circuit closing means capable of being dismantled without the use of tools comprising the combination with an open ended tubular casing formed with an opening intermediate its ends, a slide disposed Wholly on the outer surface of the casing and movable over the opening, a tubular sleeve, rectangular in cross-section, disposed in the opening and comprising an outer side secured to the slide, side walls extending through the opening and an inner side within the casing in radially spaced relation to the slide, a resilient circuit closing strip within the sleeve and supported on the inner side of the sleeve and formed remote from one end of the sleeve with an outwardly offset contact making portion in spaced relation to the sleeve and engaging the casing and also formed remote from the opposite end of the sleeve and spaced therefrom with an outwardly offset lug portion engaging the casing to thereby place the intermediate inwardly offset portion of the strip under tension in position in the sleeve in spaced relation to the casing, means on the strip interengaging the inner side of the sleeve to hold the strip in position in the sleeve whereby said strip may be disengaged from the sleeve by a finger inserted through the open end of the casing and pressing the intermediate portion outwardly toward the casing and out of engagement with the sleeve.

4. In a flashlight, circuit closing means capable of being dismantled without the use of tools comprising the combination with an open ended tubular casing formed with an opening intermediate its ends, a slide disposed wholly on the outer surface of the casing and movable over the opening, a tubular sleeve, rectangular in cross-section, disposed in the opening and comprising an outer side secured to the slide, side walls extending through the opening and an inner side within the casing in radially spaced relation to the slide, a resilient circuit closing strip within the sleeve and supported on the inner side of the sleeve and formed remote from one end of the sleeve with an outwardly offset contact making portion in spaced relation to the sleeve and engaging the casing and remote from the opposite end of the sleeve and spaced therefrom with an outwardly offset lug engaging the casing to place the strip under tension in position in the sleeve in spaced relation to the casing, means on the strip interengaging the inner side of the sleeve to hold the strip in position in the sleeve whereby said strip may be disengaged from the sleeve by a nger inserted through the open end of the casing and pressing the intenmediate portion outwardly toward the casing and out of engagement with the sleeve, said casing being formed with an inwardly extending boss to position the lug whereby the circuit closing strip may be selectively retained in open or closed circuit position.

5. In a flashlight, circuit closing means capable of being dismantled without the use of tools comprising the combination with an open ended tubular casing formed with an opening intermediate its ends, a slide disposed wholly on the outer surface of the casing and movable over the opening, a tubular sleeve, rectangular in crosssection, disposed in the opening and comprising an outer side secured to the slide, side walls extending through the opening and an inner side within the casing in radially spaced relation to the slide, a resilient circuit closing strip within the sleeve and supported on the inner side of the sleeve and formed remote from one end of the sleeve with an outwardly offset contact making portion in spaced relation to the sleeve and engaging the casing and remote from the opposite end of the sleeve and spaced therefrom with an outwardly offset lug engaging the casing to place the strip under tension in position in the sleeve in spaced relation to the casing, means on the strip interengaging the inner side of the sleeve to hold the strip in position in the sleeve whereby said strip may be disengaged from the sleeve by a linger inserted through the open end of the casing and pressing the intermediate portion outwardly toward the casing to permit withdrawal of the strip in the direction of the contact making portion of the strip, said opening being formed with a lip angularly related to the plane of the strip and in a plane intersecting the axis of the casing to deflect and guide the lug carrying end of the strip during its insertion in the sleeve.

6. In a flashlight, circuit closing means capable of being dismantled without the use of tools comprising the combination with an open ended tubular casing formed with an opening intermediate its ends, a slide of insulating material disposed wholly on the outer surface of the casing and movable over the opening, said slide being formed on its under surface with a rectangular recess, a tubular sleeve, rectangular in cross-section, disposed in the opening and comprising an outer side removably secured in the recess in the slide,

side walls extending through the opening and an inner side Within the casing in radially spaced relation to the slide, a resilient circuit closing contact strip, an intermediate portion of which is disposed within the sleeve and is supported on the inner side of the sleeve and formed, remote from one end of the sleeve, with an outwardly offset portion in spaced relation to the sleeve bearing against and sliding along the inner surface of the casing and a Contact making outwardly offset portion remote from the opposite end of the sleeve and spaced therefrom and bearing against and sliding along the casing to place the strip under tension and position it in the sleeve in spaced relation to the casing, means on the strip interengaging the inner side of the sleeve to hold the strip in position in the sleeve whereby the strip may be disengaged from the sleeve by a. finger inserted' through the open end of the casing and pressing the intermediate portion outwardly toward the casing to permit the withdrawal of the strip in the direction of the contact making portion of the strip and the removal of the slide and tubular sleeve as a unit for replacement of damaged parts.

ORVILLE T. WOOD. 

